GPRM in a MEGA race?

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Watch-out-for-that-frog
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GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

Greetings oh masters of Pinewood Derby software,

Here is a strange one for you! I have been asked to run a MULTI District Demo Dermy at a Mall. No big deal have track will travle AND gprm 5.0. But they want to have OPEN racing so people can show up when they want and race. What is the best way to do this? They have NO idea if they are goingto get 50 or 500 racers.

My thought would be to have racing at the top of each hour. That way we can set up people in the computer and race that group then add more into a new group? That would work I think but be very slow.
If there is a way to add racers in one PC and network them? Soone can be adding reacers and one can be running heats.

OR What are your thoughts. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Smooth Sailing,
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by gpraceman »

I would recommend that you use the No Chart racing feature of the software. Check-in racers into the software as they arrive, then in the racing screen, click on the "Manual Heat" button. You can select a set of racers and generate a quick Lane Rotation set of heats for them. As more racers arrive, you would repeat the process.

You can keep racing going as long as you have enough racers to fill the lanes on your track. The list of racers shows shows you the heat count for each racer, so you can make sure not to miss anyone.

No Chart racing was added to GrandPrix Race Manager for just this type of situation.

You can network PC's and use the same data file. However, if a racer is added on one computer, you will not automatically see it on the other unless you reselect the racing group. The data is there, you just wont ge getting an auto refresh for the other computer's display.
Last edited by gpraceman on Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Randy Lisano
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Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

Wow that was fast response. So I have to keep track of all the heats Manualy? How do I know each racer has raced all lanes? The more Manual tracking the more I will drop the ball.
Last edited by Watch-out-for-that-frog on Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by gpraceman »

Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:Wow that was fast response. So I hav$e to keep track of all the heats Manualy? How do I know each racer has raced all lanes?
The results are tracked automatically. The only manual thing you have to do is create the heats for the racers. Basically, you are manually creating a race schedule on the fly.

The list of racers in the No Chart Racing screen shows you the heat count for each racer, so you can make sure not to miss anyone. If you use the "Generate a set of Lane Rotation heats" option, you will ensure that your selected racers will race in each lane.
Randy Lisano
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Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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dave4him
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by dave4him »

Hey Frog,

Since it is a "demo" race, why couldn't you just use the sample rosters Randy has in the GPRM, or set up your own.
When you have several people show up, just use the pre-assigned names and numbers on the sample or pre-assigned rosters, check off the "passed inspection" button for each racer and race 'em. Next race, use the options button and restart all racing and go again.
IMHO, it would be too much trouble and time consuming at this point, to register everyone's name, number, etc. It can be done though. GPRM is a powerful yet pinehead friendly program. If your typing is like mine, stick to the pre-assigned rosters. :wink:

Hope this helps!

BTW,
We had our Awana Grand Prix last Saturday! The new Freedom track "wooed" everyone and the lane stats are remarkably close! GPRM and Fast Track performed wonderfully! Best race yet! I was thinking as I was packing up the new track in it's crate. I need to have another race of some sort to use our track more than twice a year. :idea:

Good luck at the mall!
David L. Barnes
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by dave4him »

:roll: I knew I should have waited and let the 'Master' answer this question. :mrgreen:

As I was typing my suggestions, the Master had already solved the case!
David L. Barnes
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

Dave4him I called the track company and offered to help them with pack races if they are back logged on new tracks. I can come with the track and the pack does not have to fret if their new track gets there in time. This gets me more racing whoops lets me help out more. ;) Perhaps they can have a few people with tracks do this all over the country. Rather then expensive shipping at the last minute. Plus I think they would give a healthy discount on say that nifty car rack if we did a few races for them :> LOL hehehehehe

If we do get over a 100 racers that may do the trick. I have to set up a mock race and try that out.
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by dave4him »

Cool beans Frog. Hats off to you for wanting to help out. Something we all should do - :wink:

If anyone in north central Fl. needs a track, we have a 4-lane Piantedosi Freedom with MW K-2 timer that I could bring over if not too far away. (That's pending on church trustee approval first, shouldn't be a problem as long as I go with it.)

We also have a homemade (Awana specs.), 4-lane track and MicroWizard K-1 timer, (needs no software), that any Awana club or Boy Scout pack could pick up and use.

Send a PM if interested.

Keep us posted on the mall Frog.
David L. Barnes
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

Still can't get my arms around a 300+ racer derby with open regestration. The regestration is the hard part because children will be showing up at all times. Stoping racing to enter them in is not an option.

How about I place 450 cars no names just numbers and run a lane rotation chart 6 runs down the track then edit the names in and to get rid of any extra non racers click did not pass? That way I can still run a grand final?
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Stan Pope »

Consider running a series of small competitions, e.g. 13 (4-lane) or 21 (5-lane) racers at a time. Run 'em as registrations arrive. Set arbitrary interval so that you can run smaller group if registrations get slow. Award small 1st, 2nd place trophies in each group. Track ET for "fastest runs of the day" or "fastest average times of the day" for second tier competition. Maybe 1st through 5th on times. Maybe set up a tracking board to show status of competition, so that folks who are in the running know to "hang around".

Since you would not know how many groups would run, you might have specimen trophies for ceremony and then mail or, better, deliver and award during next pack meetings. Done that way, the trophy plaques could be personalized.

This gives you a chance to buy exactly what trophies you need.
Stan
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

Problem is they will be racing / making cars with NON pack or Cub Scout members. So we have to trophy at the end of the day.
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by gpraceman »

Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:Still can't get my arms around a 300+ racer derby with open regestration. The regestration is the hard part because children will be showing up at all times. Stoping racing to enter them in is not an option.
You could try running two computers, one for registration and one for racing and have them networked together. This way you can share the same data file over the network. All you have to worry about on the racing machine is to schedule the heats for the newly added racers.
Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:How about I place 450 cars no names just numbers and run a lane rotation chart 6 runs down the track then edit the names in
You could do that.
Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:and to get rid of any extra non racers click did not pass?
You will not be able to delete anyone off of the roster once racing has started for that group.
Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:That way I can still run a grand final?
Yes, you could run the Grand Finals round, even if you have "dummy" racers that have not run their heats.
Randy Lisano
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Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Stan Pope »

Watch-out-for-that-frog wrote:Problem is they will be racing / making cars with NON pack or Cub Scout members. So we have to trophy at the end of the day.
Aha! That makes it more difficult.

Next refinement might be to invite 1st/2nd from each "flight" to a finals scheduled for the close of the Walk-up Racing. Do this instead of tracking/rewarding "fastest times of the day".

Lessee ... 2 of 13 reduces a pool of 400 entries down to about 60. But, that isn't a bad PPN schedule, though a 1-round PPN of 60 racers probably takes somewhat over an hour if the racers stage their own cars.
Stan
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Re: GPRM in a MEGA race?

Post by Watch-out-for-that-frog »

All I can say is I LOVE this program!!!!!!!!!!!!! The derby went off with out a hitch we split the day into 4 race groups and had at. SO MUCH fun. We had a great crowd, CHEVY sponsored the event and gave really COOL CORVETTE templates to carve a vette! Along with decals and a licence. SO cool so cool!

THANK YOU LORD for giving us such a great day with friends old and new!
Smooth Sailing,
Karlton
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